Hi Sweet Friends!
If you didn’t catch my original short film and some of my soul food chats on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday episode with Mark Nepo yesterday, here you go (and there’s more to come)!
It was super fun to film, and lucky me, I got to work with some of the same crew from my last episode. It’s really nice to get to know the folks who work so hard to bring us all meaningful content—and these artists often don’t get the credit they deserve. So, thanks guys, especially Heather!
My journey with Oprah
Nearly seven years ago, I had the honor of being a guest on the legendary Oprah Winfrey Show with the cherished Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture. What an amazing man—a true gift to this planet.
Folks have often asked me what it was like to meet Oprah. To be honest, it went so dang fast! Here’s what I remember: Oprah was truly, sincerely, authentically kind. We shot the shizzle during commercial breaks, she loved the essential oil blend I was wearing, she called me a “Crazy Sexy Teacher” and then she gave me a good ole hug. The sorta hug you get from someone who is a real pro at sharing their huge heart.
Then I ate Chinese food and went home. Yup, that’s about all I can recall.
Today what stands out most for me is how much I have changed and grown since then. I’ll be honest, sometimes it’s hard to look back on my early media interviews. Even though I thought I was at peace with going the distance with disease, I still really wanted to be cured. Time, struggles, triumphs, and experience have all given me some valuable soul perspective.
I want to hug that gal who many of you met on Oprah. She said all the right stuff, and I know she meant it, but after 10 years of living with a chronic disease, I can honestly say that the greatest journey was yet to come. The journey that has turned into the bedrock of my spiritual practice: unconditional acceptance.
What I’ve learned since sitting on Oprah’s couch
- Love what is (instead of what could be)
- Practice self-kindness and care, daily
- Embrace the uncertainty
- Live now
These practices have each made me a better/stronger person. But more than that, these practices have actually released me into the person I was meant to be—regular ole me. I bet you can relate, regardless of whether or not you have cancer.
Life is the best gig around. Even the sucky days have something to offer us. It’s natural to sink into the mud of our mortal humanness from time to time, but think of it this way—all rich dirt creates new life. You just might not see it right away.
More Super Soul Sunday goodness
I hope you were inspired by this Super Soul Sunday episode and that you get a chance to see the entire show, because Mark Nepo is the true star (watch the full episode online here)! My mom gave me his book—The Book of Awakening—a while back and I keep it tethered to my side as I navigate the start of each day. Give it a spin if you haven’t already. Your soul will thank you. Plus, Mark’s new book, Seven Thousand Ways to Listen, was just chosen as Oprah’s Super Soulful Book of the Month for November. I scooped up a copy and can’t wait to dive in!
Finally, I want you to know that you have grown as much as I have. You’ve healed as much as I have. You may not have national footage to look back on (lucky you!) but you’ve stretched, opened, deepened, stepped up. I know you have. If you don’t agree with me, hush for two seconds. You have. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching and thanks for letting me share my exciting health update! I’m grateful for this journey, no matter how big or small my tumors (beauty marks) get. Either way. It’s all good. 🙂
Gorgeous video and gorgeous message! Fear of what might never happen holds back so many of us from enjoying the present and enjoying life. You are a brilliant example of someone who has faced down fear and put it in its place! And like you say life is a terminal illness, we’re all going to die, it’s the quality of our time on this planet that counts not the quantity. I’d love to have you.
Thank you for this Kris. I just wanted to highlight your impression of Oprah: “truly, sincerely, authentically kind.” To me — that’s it. That’s all we ever remember, take away, and cherish. All the glitter and stuff of life come and go like madness, but authenticity and kindness are what stay. Because that’s what we are and when we get in touch with that — Life mirrors ourselves back to ourselves beautifully.
♡Joy♡ @ kindnessville.com
You are truly an amazing person Kris. I met you a few years ago at the Omega conference in New York City. You brought me up on stage along with Nick Ortner because of my fear of cancer and not being able to lose weight because I continued to stuff my fear internally. With both your help and Nicks tapping technique and the use of my young living essential oils I have now lost 60 pounds and have learned to let go of fear And appreciate everything I have. Thank you so much for your words of inspiration thank you so much for how much you have helped so many people. Sending you continued peace love and healing always.
Jodie!!! That’s great news!!! I am so proud of you and can’t wait to tell Nick — who I am seeing later today!!! xoxoxoxo kc
what a beautiful video. the golden ticket … I love that. you always speak in a way that reaches deep down to the core of my soul. thank you … you wonderful being of light and kindness.
Kris, you are an amazing inspiration me.
Thank you for sharing who you are with the world!
Love to you!
Jivan
Sweet Sweet Kris!
Your words always seem to land like a trickling river that soothes the soul and quiets the rush of the hectic modern mind. So, I have been ignoring the pain in my breast and under my arm for three months now; finally I scheduled an appointment with my doctor for this Wednesday. I am anxious yet hopeful I can find out the whats so and move forward powerfully. I kept thinking the last two detoxes would just shift any negative stuff out of my body, yet, I have been feeling as though the biggest issue is shifting the negative out of my mind. Harsh and critical thinking without gentle kindness has my experience of life seem less desirable. Your clip here really had me stop to realize the actions can be powerful and definitely are, however, my mindset can play just as big of a role and focusing on more self love and care can make major impacts. Thank you for being you. You have inspired my health journey of creative vegan cooking this year and I feel so grateful for your kind and sweet spirit who surfs the waves of white with a calm that inspires others to dive in. I am diving in to rearrange my thoughts; plunge many — embrace new habits — collage vision boards and support the me of my inside inner heart, shine.
Letting go was a take away..Ive heard it over and over. I use my visionboard/destinymap and send things in there way to the universe. The hardest thing for me is to truly detach and let go, but something clicked with me when Mark said i had to let everything go. And you Kris , live the now..I hear it and want to let go but yesterday my daughter came in my room and I thought today is the only day like this I will have with her. After the show I went to a friends house who needed someone to listen and I thought today I get to help. So right now in this moment I am enjoying the fact that I can respond to a blog, use my fingers to type , know I am warm when its 30 degrees outside, and I’m drinking my life giving green juice , today I am grateful in this moment
Beautiful. Exactly right. x
Your beautiful soul shined true on the show Sunday. You are such an inspiration to me to stay in the moment every. single. day.
Kris,
Beautiful. I’m so moved by you and your ability to move past the fear and live. Thank you so much for sharing your journey.
I saw you speak last year at RHH-Live and you were so beautiful and inspiring to me. I started thinking of my life in a whole new way after hearing you speak.
Thank you for creating courage in the hearts of unicorns everywhere.
I would love to watch the episode but I am from Germany and I don’t have access to American TV. Is there any chance I can see it online?
Vanessa, try using this link to access the show online. I hope it works for you.
Oops it would help if I gave you the link:
http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/What-Cancer-Taught-Poet-Mark-Nepo-Video
Thank you so much, Victoria 🙂
You’re awesome Kris Carr. 🙂 Thanks for being you and putting your heart and soul out there to positively impact others. I was smiling thinking about you up in that airplane surrounded by cottony clouds and blue skies… It’s sometimes easier to smile and ease up when we’re 30,000 feet up in the air. You realize that even when it may be cloudy and gray down where we dwell, the sun never stops shining and it’s our choice to remember that and see things from that perspective. Your weekly emails are like mini-flights for me — you take me up, up, up! THANK YOU! And all the best for a most wonderful experience in CA!!
Kris – thank you so much for your continued work in healing yourself as you help to heal so many others on the planet. I have lost many people I love to the wretched C disease and your fight of taking such supreme care of the body and mind is indeed the only true way to fight back. So often the cure is what ends up taking people down – just listening to only what the doctors say. I know in my mother’s case it cost her her life. She started fighting Ovarian Cancer and then died from Leukemia she contracted from the chemo. Her doctors said that if she wanted to get on a strong nutritional regime “that would be fine but not necessary”. Being old school she listened only to the doctors.
Loved your show yesterday and how beautifully it wrapped in with the Mark Nepo interview. Keep up your great work and again thank you. Also love your cookbook! Brilliant!
Kris, I just loved watching you yesterday on Super Soul Sunday. It was my first time ever watching it and totally loved how I felt during the show and for the remainder of the day. As I raked leaves for a couple of hours I appreciated where I was at that moment and totally got into being with nature instead of just getting the job done. The show caused me to pause and reflect on where I have been and where I want to go but most importantly where I am now. And now is pretty amazing.
Thanks Kris for you amazing way with words and images that have helped me and so many others on our own wellness journey.
I Can Do It should really be I Am Doing It.
Hugs, Jo-Ann
Thank you
Loved it. So inspiring. I love watching super soul each week. I have found that some shows resonate more with me than others and this was one of those shows. Mark nepo was incredible. Several of his statements really made you think about how you handle situations in life, both the good and bad and how the self is perceived through them. The shorts with kris were great. Wish we got a whole hour of kris too!
Inspiring! It really is amazing the power we gain when we realize we have the power to change our own perspectives and attitudes. Thanks for making this film.
Kris this is beautiful. It’s amazing how we’re faced with such challenges, but if we’re open and willing, we can grow and flourish and walk our true paths. You have an amazing story and you’re such an inspiration to me. Thank you so much. I am choosing to live too, thank you for that perspective. xoxo
Hi Kris!
Thank You for sharing your health update! Outstanding and no surprise. You embody “self care” in everything you do, we can all learn to take more time for ourselves.
I love what you said about fearlessness, such an over used slogan “be fearless!!”. Fear, like so many other emotions remind us that we are human. Instead of avoiding, it is more about what you will do with that fear once it hits. How will you use it to GROW?
Thank You for reminding us to expand and grow and Love!
Jenn xoxo
Thank you very much for sharing. It’s nice to be uplifting when there is so much depressing news and such in the wqrld. Thank you Kris.
Thank you for this today: love what is, not what you hope for. Exactly what I needed to hear today.
you’re pretty rad. <3
S